Method of rendering animal and vegetable fibers active



. No Drawing.

UNITED I STATES THE CHEMICAL FOUNDATION, me, A CORPORATION 0E DELAWARE.

PATIENT OFFICE.

JoHANNEs KORSELT, 0E zIT'rAu, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR. BY MEsNE ASSIGNMENTS, 'lro METHOD OF RENDERING ANIMAL AND VEGETABLE FIBERS ACTIV F J. i

Toall'wkomz't may concern: I

Be it known that I, J OHANNES KoRsELT, a citizen ofthe German Empire, residing at Zittau, Saxony, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Method of Rendering Animal and Vegetable Fibers Active (for which I'have filed an application in Germany August 19, 1916), of whichthe following is a specification.

Myv invention, relates to a method of treating animaland vegetable fibers such as wool, hairs, feathers and cotton with a view to rendering them active either in a coloured or uncoloured condition. A

With this object in view my invention consists in treating the fibers with suitable ferments which are devoid of any colouring matter.

I valuable properties and that by treating other fibers either animal or vegetable, such as wool, hairs, feathers, cotton, artificial silk and the like, with such ferments one succeeds in rendering these fibers active. If wool for instance is treated with catalase, its strength and elasticity, as well as its power of absorbing colouring matter, is greatly increased. Wool which contains so-called dead hairs not well adapted to be coloured, is rendered active upon beingtreated with suitable ferments such as catalases. The dead hairs take the colour exactly like normal wool. At the same time the strength and elasticity are increased. If cotton or other fibers produced from a vegetable material, such as for instance artificial silk, are treated in a like manner, valuable properties are imparted to them and, quite especially, their power of absorbing colouring matter is greatly increased.

The rocess according .to my invention is applica le to fells, feathers, hairs, cotton, jute, hemp, linen, wool, artificial silkand the like and may be applied .at any time such as for instance before spinning before,

during or after dyeing, during the finishing and so on.

In practising my invention I prefer proceeding in such a manner that I treat the fibers, feathers pr hairs to be rendered active either singly, for instance by hurling,

or in the'lock, in the top or sliver, in the cord'or, in the case of fells or textile fabric,

in the piece with ferments such as catalases Specification of Letters Patent.

ate nted Aug, 15, .1922;

Application filed October 24, 1917.. serial No..198,337. Y

or reductases and the like Theselection and quantity of the ferments used varies according touthe desired result; as a rule very small quantitiesforinstance from 0,1 to 2 percent will suffice. Q 'I I .have. ascertained that a like result cannot be obtained by the aid of suchferments as are exclusively. zymotic fermentssuch as the diastase, or such ferments as are-effectlve in-fiax-retting or in dyeing with natu-' ral indigoin the steeping-trough.

I have found it to be of special advantage to further; treat the fibers with such materials as favour the vitality (activity) of the ferments employed, such substances being for instance the kinases. I If catalase 1s employed, I prefer adding creatinin as an activating medium. My novel method is the more important since by the suitable selection of the ferments the fastness of the colours produced on the activated fibers is increased.

Between the known methods of dyeing textile fibers with natural indigo or the like in the steeping trough, which contains certain ferments, and the novel process forming the object of the present invention there is this difference that in the latter process only such ferments are used which do not contain any coloring components. In other words, the ferment is in the nature of an enzyme which will not ferment or decompose starch and albumin.

I claim 1. The process of increasing-the strength, elasticity and absorbent power of textiles, which comprises treating said textiles in a. bath containing an oxidase.

2. The process of increasing the strength, elasticity and absorbent power of textiles, which comprises treating said textiles ina bath containing an oxidase and a substance capable of favorably influencing the action of the oxidase.

'3. The process of increasing the strength, elasticity and absorbent power of textiles, which comprises treating said textiles in a bath containing a catalase.

4. The process of 1ncreas1ng the strength,

elasticity and absorbent power of textiles, which comprises treating said textiles in a bath containing a catalase and a substance capable of favorably influencing'the action of the catalase. I

5. The process'of increasing the -strength,

elasticity and absorbent power of textiles, which comprises treating said textiles in a bath containing an oxidase and creatinin.

6. The process of increasing the strength,

elasticity and absorbent power of textiles,

which comprises treating said textiles in a bath containing a catalase and creatinin.

7. The process of increasing the strength, elasticity and absorbent power of artificial silk, which comprises treating said artificial silk in a bath containing an oxidase.

' 8. The process of increasing the strength, elasticity and absorbent power of artificial .silk,,which comprises treating said artificial silk in a bath containing anoxidase and a substancecapable of favorably influencing the action ofthe oxidase.

9. The process of increasing the strength, elasticity and absorbent power of artificial silk, which comprises treating said artificial silk in a bath containing catalases and a substance capable of favorably influencing the action of the catalases.

10. The method of treating artificial silk whichcomprises treating said fiber with cat-.

DR. JOHANNES KORSELT. 

